A variety of exercise machines in common use employ a cage or frame for supporting the vertical movement or lifting of a stack of weights. Usually the frame supports one or more vertically extending shafts or quide wires which pass through a plurality of aligned apertures in a stack of weights. Means attached to a cable for lifting the weights may be grasped at one end by a person using the exercise machine. The opposite end of the cable is attached to the stack of weights by removable means so that the number of weights in a stack to be lifted may 5 be selected. In a typical structure, the cable is attached to a shaft extending vertically which slides into a plurality of vertically aligned apertures in the stack of weights. The shaft has a plurality of spaced apertures extending transversely therethrough. Each of the weights has a hole extending transversely into the vertical aperture which receives the shaft, whereby a pin may be inserted through a hole in a weight into an aligned aperture in the shaft. Through the insertion of the pin through a transversely extending hole in one of the weights in the stack of weights and an aperture in the shaft aligned therewith, the number of weights in the stack of weights attached to the cable for lifting may be selected. In exercise machines in use presently, the amount of force exerted by a person using the exercise machine is approximately equal to the weight of the stack of weights being lifted. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the vertical movement or lifting of a stack of weights by a cable for lifting the weights supported within the frame bears the risk of the weights falling. Furthermore, the weights add to the effort and expense associated with transporting the exercise
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an exercise machine comprising means for lifting a stack of weights which is safer to use than exercise machines in use heretofor, and is cheaper to manufacture and transport, requiring the use of less weights. Further . and other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following summary of the invention and detailed description thereof.